


Wish I Knew You

by deppyforever



Category: Phandom/The Fantastic Foursome (YouTube RPF)
Genre: Eventual Romance, Eventual Smut, Famous Dan Howell, Loneliness, M/M, Mutual Pining, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Pining, References to Depression, YouTube, just putting that out there
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-08-23
Updated: 2018-08-25
Packaged: 2019-07-01 10:29:24
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,380
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15772290
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/deppyforever/pseuds/deppyforever
Summary: Dan and Phil never met in 2009. Instead, Dan's comments and tweets went unnoticed.Dan became a quickly growing YouTube sensation, worshipped for his funny content and good looks. Phil became half of a popular couple's vlog channel duo, envied for his seemingly perfect life.In 2013, Dan and Phil unknowingly booked adjacent seats on a long transatlantic flightThis is their story.(updating 3x a week- loose schedule = Monday, Wednesday, Friday @ night Pacific time)





	1. An Engaging Encounter

**Author's Note:**

> been working on this for a while & i have some chapters ready to go! i'm most likely going to stick to a posting schedule (monday/wednesday/friday).

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> been working on this for a while & i have some chapters ready to go! i'm most likely going to stick to a posting schedule (monday/wednesday/friday). 
> 
> also i'm very open to constructive criticism so if you spot a grammar or characterization error or something, let me know <3
> 
> (also if this chapter seems kinda forward, we actually won't see phil for a little bit after this)

“Shit. Shit. Shit.” Dan ran through the airport to his gate, mumbling a “sorry” here and there as he collided with slow walkers. A couple of teenage girls turned their heads to gawk at him, but Dan kept his eyes glued to the gate, knowing he couldn’t afford a meet and greet with a fan right then.

To be fair, Dan _would_ have been on time if it wasn’t for his last minute packing, his unmatched ability to press the snooze button, and his retrospectively inappropriate Starbucks trip. Ok fine, he was lucky the plane wasn’t leaving without him.

When he finally stumbled onto the plane, Dan felt grateful that his business class seat was near the front so that only a couple pairs of eyes could judge the lanky, sweaty mess he had become. Once he sat down in his seat and the adrenaline of being late subsided, he felt a sharp pain in his chest as his very much out of shape body began the payback for running.

“Running late?”

Dan furiously fixed his fringe as he turned his attention to the man next to him. “Pssh no. I just enjoy having a good sprint through airports.”

The man chuckled and turned the page of the flight shopping catalogue. Dan noticed the man looks familiar. Someone from school, maybe? Dan took the opportunity while the man was engrossed in the catalogue to study his long, black fringe, blue eyes, and glasses. Nope, he couldn’t put his finger on the man’s identity.

Just as Dan turned his attention to the seat-back screen to begin the important task of picking movies to watch during the flight, the man piped up again. “Business class for the extra leg room?”

“Always,” Dan grinned.

The man extended an arm. “I’m Phil.”

_AmazingPhil_. Youtube, that’s where Dan knew him from. Phil was a Youtuber too, before he abandoned his channel. Dan wondered if Phil recognized him, as Dan himself had about two million subscribers of his own. On second thought, probably not. Phil was a skilled creator who produced artistic, quirky videos, not a teenage girl. Dan knew his generic Youtube channel was shit compared to Phil’s, anyways.

He decided to just play it casually. “Dan. Nice to meet you, Phil.”

“Looks like we’re going to be spending 11 hours together as the aisle seat is empty.”

“Wow, 11 hours cramped in a seat, can’t wait.” Dan said sarcastically. He decided to test the waters. “What are you on your way to Los Angeles for, anyway?”

“I’m actually going to an online video creator convention." Phil stops himself to correct, "Not the dirty kind of videos. Have you heard of Youtube?”

“Yes! Vidcon, I’m on my way there too!”

“No way!” Phil scanned Dan’s face until his eyes widened in recognition. “Are you danisnotonfire?”

“Oh. Yes.”

“Oh my God. I’m so sorry I didn’t recognize you in the first place, I’m barely even awake right now. I had to wake up at 7 instead of past noon to catch this flight and the two cups of instant coffee did nothing!” Phil began to ramble.

“It’s cool, don’t worry-”

“And, how could I not recognize Sugarscape’s hottest lad of 2012!” Phil teased.

Now, it was Dan’s turn to feel embarrassed. He felt his face start to go red, Dan's insecurity about his more popular, but inferior videos compared to Phil’s extended to insecurity about his more popular, but inferior looks. Seriously, Dan could _never_ pull off glasses like Phil. And Dan’s eyes were boring brown, not striking blue like Phil’s. “Oh you know it’s just a fan competition. I guess I have some awfully devoted fans.”

“Well they’re not wrong,” Phil suggested with a joking, flirtatious wink.

And then they were both laughing and a couple of crew members had to shush them because it was time to play a safety video.

Once the plane was in the air and everything settled back to a comfortable silence, Dan told  Phil, “I actually know you from Youtube too. AmazingPhil, right?”

Phil’s eyes beamed and a smile crept onto his face, “Yes! People who remember AmazingPhil now are few and far between.”

“If I can ask, why did you stop posting videos?”

“Well, life got in the way. I became super busy with other responsibilities, as well as a Youtube couple's vlog channel with my partner, Vick, now.”

_Vick_. A guys name, interesting, Dan began to think. But he was not about to press Phil for more information and continued. “Oh cool, well I guess this 11 hour flight won’t be the last we’ll see of each other.”

“Yep.”

When Dan and Phil weren’t sleeping, they compared their Nintendo DS games and music they brought for the long flight.

“Muse _and_ Pokémon fan _and_ an all-around cool guy. Where were you all my life when I felt alone with my interests,” whined Dan.

When Dan and Phil weren’t sleeping or comparing their Nintendo DS games and music, they started a trip down memory lane, making it through the first three Harry Potter movies together. 

“Ugh, such an emotional flight. I wasn’t ready for this,” said Dan.

“Hey, it’s not something actually sad or scary. It’s a children’s series, especially the first few books and movies.”

“I know but the nostalgia, Phil. The nostalgia.”

Phil chucked. The fasten seatbelt sign turned on as the plane began to descend into LA.

“Rude,” said Dan. “Believe it or not, I was actually enjoying my little escape from reality.”

“Yeah and,” Phil starts, “This was my first time in business class and it was so much better.”

“For real? Economy seats aren’t meant for people of our height!”

“I know. But Vick always wants to sit together and considers business class a waste of money.”

“Oh. That sucks.”

“Oh yeah and Dan,” Phil said. “Let’s exchange information, I don’t have that many friends in the British Youtube community and it would be cool to have some kind of support, you know?”

“Of course. I’ve really enjoyed talking to you.”

The plane landed and the boys made it through customs together. They continued on until Phil said goodbye and headed off the other way.

Dan stuck to his mission of quickly locating the exit and getting into a Taxi until he heard Phil’s voice yelling “Vicky!” At this, Dan looked over his shoulder to steal a glance in Phil’s direction. Phil was embracing his partner, a girlfriend, rather than a boyfriend. Dan noticed that she, Vicky, had a familiar look. He knew he had seen her face in a magazine, billboard, TV show, or something of that nature before.

Dan also could tell that she, Vicky, was beautiful. She had long, curly brown hair and was wearing a flattering, but causal black dress. When she hugged Phil, her dark brown eyes beamed, becoming softer.

“OH MY GOD! Is that danisnotonfire?” Dan heard next to him. He was secretly grateful for a prompting to turn his eyes away from Phil and Vicky as he felt that, for some reason, he couldn’t watch any more of their happiness.

Dan was so popular, attractive, rich, and famous, but somehow Phil had everything Dan wanted in life and more.


	2. Tacos and Talks

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> back at it again with another chapter posted in the middle of the night.
> 
> also who remembers "we have all the same likes and dislikes, except I like your glasses" because i'm so sorry i was just reading this chapter again and i couldn't resist adding that in where i saw a good opportunity. 
> 
> cya on monday (or early tuesday) guys <3

**Louise:**

_Did you land yet, Dan? I’m at the mall with the tacos by the train station._

**Dan:**

_yep, on my way_

**Louise:**

_Yay! Xx_

 

Dan waited in line to hail a taxi, trying to avoid eye contact with the couples and families surrounding him. When the vehicle pulled up, Dan immediately slouched into one of the seats in the back. “To Tacos Express.” 

“Just one?” asked the driver.

“Yep,” Dan plugged in his earbuds, not particularly upset about appearing rude today. Normally, he could make small talk, but he just felt so fucking drained today. Today, he was grateful for earbuds being the universal ‘don’t talk to me’ symbol.

Half an album later, the driver piped up: “here.”

Dan paid the fare, adding a generous, tip with a hasty 'Thank you!' and stepped outside. The sun glared. Dan cursed the fact that thanks to the time zone difference, even though he had to get up early _and_ endure an 11-hour plane ride, it was only 2 pm in Los Angeles. He was already ready to find his hotel room, curl up into a ball on the bed, and resign for the day. But he knew that sometimes he had to force himself to meet friends, to go outside, and to live his life.

Out on the little street corner, there were not any fans. They didn’t figure out to wait for him at a hole in the wall tacos restaurant. He leaned against a wall and called Louise.

“Hey Louise, I’m wai-“

“Dan! I see you!” Louise hung up.

The next moment, Dan was enveloped in Louise’s arms, smelling her sweet perfume.

“Oh! I missed you, Dan!” cried Louise.

“Ugh, I know. Please move back to England” Dan agreed.

Once Louise and Dan were comfortably sat at their table with enough plates of Tacos for a large family, Louise pulled a small, black bag out of her purse, “Happy Late Birthday, Dan.”

“Louise! I swear you didn’t have to!”

“I wanted to, open it.”

Dan opened the bag, first pulling out a card that belted out Taylor Swift’s _22_ when opened, immediately mortifying Dan.

_Dan,_

_Even if I convince you to open this card in a public place and the music really is as loud as it seemed in the store, just remember this doesn’t even come close to all of our awkward moments. Even in all of our awkwardness, there is no one else who makes me smile and laugh so much. Thanks for being my friend and I hope that 22 treats you well. And I hope you enjoy my gift, even though it may not be up to your expensive fashion taste. Happy Birthday Again._

_With Love,_

_Louise_

Dan grinned at Louise, “Thank you.”

“Ya, ya, ya, no problem. Now open the gift!”

Dan opened the gift to find a knitted, black beanie with little, glittery stars sewn throughout it. “I love it, Lou. Homemade gifts are always the best.”

“I’m sorry it’s not too seasonally appropriate. But I really thought you would like it.”

“You know I sport an all-black ensemble even in the summer,” Dan joked. “But really,” he continued, “This will fit right in. It’s thoughtful and lovely just like you.”

“Aw, thanks. You’re lovelier.” Louise blushed.

“Enough bullshit, Louise. So, what’s new in your life? How’s the business coming?” Dan knew that she was working on some kind of large shop with another YouTuber that had homegrown YouTube fashion and makeup brands, but mass produced in China. 

Taking this as a much-needed prompt for venting, Louise began rambling. “Oh Dan, it’s so tough, you don’t even understand! Apparently, fashion and makeup aren’t too related and so Vicky and I are doing too much. I am spread far too thin, working far too long, with far too little sleep.”

Vicky. _The Business_. That’s where Dan recognized Vicky from. She was the other Youtuber that was Louise’s business partner. Dan commented, “I’ve actually never met her, Vicky I mean, before.”

“Oh, she’s so nice. She is just one of those people who does _everything._  She helps in the business, still makes videos, and lives a happy, domestic life with her boyfriend. I don't know how she manages." 

“Her boyfriend Phil? I think I met him on the plane actually.”

“Cool! You guys would get on really well.” 

“Yeah, I guess. So far, we have all the same likes and dislikes, except I like his glasses.”

“Didn’t know you got on with him that well. One more reason you should move to LA, Dan. For YouTube, me, and Phil.”

“Phil lives here too? I thought he was from London too.”

“Not yet, but Vicky is considering moving here and if she moves here, she is obviously going to bring Phil with her. So, if all goes well with the business, he will live here.” Louise continues on, “So, Dan are you doing anything interesting at Vidcon today?” 

“Yes, unfortunately. I have to do an interview for ‘up and coming stars’ today that seemed like a good opportunity. Being a Youtuber is such a struggle,” Dan joked.

“Hey, looks like you’re the newest, coolest star of Vidcon this year. Don’t forget me when you’re super famous.”

“Like that will ever happen. What about you, Louise? What are you getting up to at Vidcon?” 

“Ah, not much. Just a couple of meet and greets and managing a stand for our business with Vicky.”

“I’ll be sure to stop by.”

“Sure, Dan.”

Later that day, when Dan arrived in his hotel room in Anaheim, he was careful not to spend too much time in his bed, knowing it would be too difficult to tear himself away from it and to the interview. Eventually, Dan was up and fixing his hair. He also changed his outfit. Even then, he wasn’t too satisfied with his look and spent a couple minutes in front of the mirror perfecting his hair down to the individual strands. Then Dan made his way down to the lobby, into a cab, and in front of a tall building that towered over him for the interview.

Dan hoped that this interview would be a typical one about his creative process with maybe a question or two thrown in about his favorite TV shows and movies at the moment. But when he stepped inside the lobby and saw all the signs about celebrity life and culture instead of signs about YouTube and the internet, he couldn’t help but feel a pit in his stomach. These weren’t the nerdy, internet people that usually contacted him. They were businesslike, real-life people who reminded him of his secondary school peers.

Did they even understand his job? Or did they just want to hear all the latest gossip about his life? 

When a girl with a bright smile recognized Dan and began leading him into a studio, Dan knew it was too late to turn back. He should have taken a lesson from his school days and done his homework researching this interview. But it was too late.


End file.
